When should you Hug a Man?

Most men end up shuffling their feet or looking skyward when they meet a friend, and don’t really know whether to hug the guy or not. After all, a hesitated hug looks cute in Bollywood and in old Holly classics, but between men? That’s seriously awkward! So when should you hug a man?

Knowing when to hug is entirely up to you, but here are a few pointers on the perfect moment. Hugging your best friends or members of your family is perfectly acceptable. And you can rest assured, nothing incestuous will be thought of it, unless you’re hugging Drooling Uncle Dan.

If you know the rules of when you should hug a male friend, and when you shouldn’t, it can take a lot of stress of your cranium.

Times when you should Hug

1. When celebrating something (i.e. a birthday, an anniversary)

2. If someone close to you becomes a dad

3. A family member at a funeral

4. Your friend gets a job promotion

5. Celebrating a sports win with your friends

In the last case scenario, you may find that your man-hug turns into a mass-hugging, finger-slipping, deep-reaching one. Don’t be threatened by this. You won’t be in a minority if you’re all sharing a victory.

If at all you feel uncomfortable, just jump up and down at the same time to avoid too much unnecessary body contact.

The last thing you want is to suddenly feel the perspiration of another man on your body.

Times when you should not Hug

1. When one or both of you are wearing swimsuits. Dude, this is just plain and simply a no-go zone, unless you like the spandex and feel of another dude’s manhood snuggling near yours.

2. Like swimming, if you and another dude are both shirtless for whatever reason, then avoid hugging. But if this should occur, quickly refrain from the initial hug to avoid curiosity.

3. It is unacceptable to hug a man who has the same first name as you. That’s just weird.

4. Never hug a dude you just met. We don’t care if it’s your auntie’s cousin-sister’s husband’s son, whoever the eff he is, just don’t hug him.

5. Never hug another man at a fancy dress party. You’ll look like two weirdos from Village People.

6. If a dude on a street is holding up a sign that says ‘free hugs’, do not under any circumstances hug this man. Seriously, all hugs are free, but the rule of thumb is you don’t know him so you don’t hug him. Anyway, you might end up getting more than you bargained for.